Misc. responses, some quite old

[random832]

No: HPFGUIDX 169201

I'm cleaning out my "drafts" folder - here's various responses that
i'd written but either simply forgot to send, didn't feel were
substantial enough on their own to be worth wasting a post on, or that
otherwise slipped through the cracks. These are the ones that on a
second look I think are still worth posting.

> Charles:
> Last but not least, IMNSHO, Marietta got what she deserved. It was
> not over the top, nor overly cruel. She betrayed the DA. Not only was
> it a broken promise, but she knew that she was going to get many of
> her friends expelled and possibly criminally prosecuted by what she
> knows is an unjust government. AFAIC, having the word "sneak" across
> her face is a light punishment, considering what could have happened
> to the rest of the DA.

Random832:
This issue is a key disconnect between people who like Hermione (or
are indifferent) and people who go out of their way to find a reason
to dislike her. In discussions of this, everyone goes on and on about
how Marietta is "Permanently Disfigured" etc - when really - it's just
a word. on her face. Like how in Snow Crash, Raven has "Poor Impulse
Control" on his face, Marietta has "Sneak" on hers.

> > Random832:
> > Right or wrong, "dark magic" is defined in the books as specific
> > spells or types of spells, not as "the intention of the wizard using
> > it". And I think it's presented as being that there is something
> > deeply wrong with that way of classification.
> 
> Potioncat:
> Actually, I think it's the other way around. I think JKR is saying that
> some acts are Dark regardless of the intention and that those Dark Arts
> have a negative effect on the person performing them.

Random832:
Except that the voice she's saying it with is that of the ministry -
not really the right place to put it if she's actually intending to
say that this is a position to be agreed with.

> Neri:
> As several other members pointed out, there isn't a substantial
> disagreement between Trelawney's and Dumbledore's stories.

Random832:
DD's is that Snape is ejected midway through the prophecy, Trelawney's
is that he was there at (after) the end of it.

> Mariya:
> To comment on what was said about Ron proforming the spell on
> Scabbers on the HE, it's not that the spell was false it's probabaly
> a working spell.

Random832:
But how many spells do we see actually used in the form of rhyming
couplets? Also, remember that he got this "spell" from the twins.

michelle:
(of the DH title)
> Perhaps not the actual words of the spell but perhaps the English
> translation of Avada Kedavera?

Random832:
No. The english translation of AK is "I destroy as I speak".

Shelley:
> Personally, none of the mistakes you talk about make any difference
to the
> plot. Plus, the year 1993 isn't in canon anyway, so I feel the fans are
> being a bit misleading by trying to match Harry up with actual years to
> determine how old he would be for this year, 2007, or to line
Harry's first
> years in the books up with our calendar years to see just which days
that
> Halloween or Christmas would fall on.

Random832:
Um... "which days that halloween or christmas would fall on" - are you
suggesting that there are years in which they do not fall on October
31 and December 25? It's not like it's Easter we're talking about.

My point was, Christmas is 55 days after halloween. Full moons are
29.5 days apart, so the one in December has to be 59 days after the
one in October, no matter WHAT year it is. (1993, incidentally, isn't
as terribly bad a fit for halloween/christmas as some other years
might be, with full moons on Oct 30 and Dec 28)

And that was just one example - the two mondays in a row really is
another example, even if it was fixed later. I'm convinced the
"missing 24 hours" in PS is probably a mistake rather than a huge
mystery, though I may be proven wrong.

Shelley:
> I don't buy for a second that he
> thought "an innocent childhood" would make Harry's task any easier;

Random832:
I don't agree with him, but I do believe he thought that. We're told
the conclusion he arrives at for what "the power the dark lord knows
not" is.

> Pippin:
> Dark Mark or not, Snape had been pardoned by Dumbledore, Head
> of the Wizengamot, and cleared  by the Ministry of Magic. He had as
> much moral authority as any other  wizard on Dumbledore's side.
> 
> It's Lupin who
> tries to subvert justice, who doesn't want Sirius taken in
> even before Snape says anything about dementors.

Random832:
I think this is a key disconnect between fan expectations and the
reality as it is in the books. A lot of people want to give Wizards in
general too much credit as far as recognizing how broken their justice
system is, i.e. OF COURSE lupin's right for not wanting him taken into
the authorities, he didn't get a trial the first time around. But as
far as I know, no-one, not Harry, not even Sirius himself, questions
that he was not given a trial. That's just the way things go, seems to
be their attitude. 

leslie41:
> Yes, Snape has done wrong.  He has, according to Dumbledore, repented
> of it.  Sirius still isn't sorry he nearly killed Snape.  And the
> adult Lupin is still so self-serving that he keeps a very important
> fact to himself (that Sirius is an animagus) because he doesn't want
> to look bad.  That's by his OWN admission.  He's very "nice" but he
> doesn't DO the right thing.

Random832:
I think you've hit Remus's biggest character flaw right on the head.
In a choice between, as DD has phrased it, what is right and what is
easy, he chooses what is easy.

--Random832